Interstate Business Route 40

Interstate 40 has 31 active business loops, including the Winston-Salem business loop freeway. In addition, it has one decommissioned business loop and a few other potential business loops that are business U.S. routes.

	Location Status Description CALIFORNIA Needles Active Listed in the 1991 California State Signing Log, this business route follows Old U.S. 66-95 (National Trails Highway) via River Road, North Street, Broadway, Acoma Street, and Front Street. This business route also connects to the north disjointed section of Arizona State Route 95. ARIZONA Kingman Decom./ Remnant Signage This business route used to follow Historic U.S. 66 between Exits 48 and 53 via Andy Devine Drive. On May 30, 2003, Business Loop I-40 through Kingman was decommissioned in order to transfer maintenance of the highway from the state of Arizona to the city of Kingman. AASHTO approved the removal of this business loop from the system. The route is now signed solely with Historic U.S. 66 shields, with occasional business loop shields. Seligman Active Business Loop I-40 in Seligman follows Historic U.S. 66 between Exits 121 and 123. Ash Fork Active This is Historic U.S. 66 and Old U.S. 89 between Exits 144 and 146. Notice how it's "old" U.S. 89 and "historic" U.S. 66. Williams Active Historic U.S. Route 66 between Exits 163 and 165. Flagstaff Active Multiplex heaven! Historic Route U.S. 66, Business Loop I-40, U.S. 180, Old U.S. 89, Arizona 89A, and Interstate 17 signs are everywhere along the main street called Route 66. I've been here, and I still can't tell you exactly where the southern end to U.S. 89 is located, but I can tell you which roads will take you to Interstate 40 and Interstate 17. Business Loop I-40 leaves Interstate 40 at Exit 191 and returns at Exit 201. Winslow (LOOP) Active "I was standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona, such a fine sight to see..." The Eagles (and Jackson Browne) probably sung (and wrote) about a corner that was Historic U.S. 66 and is now Business Loop I-40. This business connection is between Exits 252 and 255. The western end of Business Loop I-40 connects to Business Spur I-40 (see next entry). Winslow (SPUR) Active Yes, Winslow also has a Business Spur I-40. According to Alan Hamilton, the Business Spur I-40 in Winslow is actually marked, but only at the end away from the interstate. It doesn't connect to anything in particular. The railroad bridge was not part of old U.S. 66. It was built in 1975, about the same time the mainline Interstate 40 was built. Old U.S. 66 followed the same route as Interstate 40; it didn't cross the railroad here. The Business Spur designation does make it the state's repsonsibility, rather than Navajo County. It goes west from Interstate 40, Exit 252. East of Exit 252 is the conventional Business Loop (see above). Joseph City Active Historic U.S. 66 between Exits 274 and 277. Holbrook Active Between Exits 285 and 286, this business route follows Hopi Street and Navajo Boulevard via old U.S. 66. NEW MEXICO Gallup Active This business route is between Exits 16 and 26, with the exits signed "Business Loop 40, West and East Gallup." Gallup is another city along Historic U.S. 66 and is the new southern terminus to controversial U.S. 666. Grants Active This business route follows Historic U.S. 66 between Exits 81 and 85. Albuquerque Decom./ Remnant Signage While U.S. 66 was still designated through Albuquerque, Central Avenue was also signed as Business Loop I-40. The business route is not signed from either direction on mainline Interstate 40. However, as of July 2008, the business loop signage was found along Central Avenue paired with U.S. 66 in a green guide sign. Several instances of this kind of signage is still present in and around downtown Alburquerque. Moriarity Active Between exits 194 and 197, the business access from I-40 to Historic U.S. 66 is signed as "West" and "East" Moriarity. Santa Rosa Active Historic U.S. 66 and U.S. 54-84 between exits 273 and 277. Tucumcari Active Between exits 325 and 329; called Tucumcari Boulevard and Historic U.S. 66. Also signed as U.S. 54. TEXAS Glenrio Active Business Spur I-40A connects Interstate 40 to Historic U.S. 66 at Exit 0, which is very close to the Texas-New Mexico State Line. The Exit Authority lists this business spur in its 2000 guide. There is a local route from the west end of the spur (at the state line) that returns traffic to Interstate 40 on the New Mexico side. Adrian Active Business Loop I-40B follows Historic U.S. 66 from Exit 22. Vega Active Business Loop I-40C follows Historic U.S. 66 between Exits 34-37. Amarillo Active Business Loop I-40D goes from Interstate 40 easterly and northwesterly via Amarillo, and then concurrent with U.S. 60 in Amarillo for approximately 10.8 miles, and then southeasterly to Interstate 40; a total distance of approximately 24.4 miles in Potter and Carson Counties. The business route follows Amarillo Boulevard, and the eastern half is cosigned with U.S. 60. The entire routing follows Historic U.S. 66. Groom Active Business Loop I-40F follows Historic U.S. 66 between Exits 110 and 114. McLean Active Business Loop I-40H follows Historic U.S. 66; between Exits 141 and 143. Shamrock Active Business Loop 40J follows Historic U.S. 66 between Exits 161 and 164. OKLAHOMA Erick Active Four-lane boulevard through a small Oklahoma town. This turns into a full-fledged expressway has it heads east. This business route is also Historic U.S. 66 between Exits 5 and 11. Sayre Active This is Fourth Street (Historic U.S. 66) between Exits 20 and 25. Elk City Active Historic U.S. 66 between Exits 32 and 41. Clinton Active Historic U.S. 66 between Exits 65 and 69. Weatherford Active Historic U.S. 66 between Exits 80 and 82. El Reno Active Historic U.S. 66 lies between exits 119 and 125 and links to Oklahoma 66 at eastern end. Henryetta Active Historic U.S. 266 between exits 238 and 240; also signed as Business U.S. 62-75. Thanks to David Backlin for information on this loop. Sallisaw Active Business Loop I-40 in Sallisaw follows U.S. 59 (between Exits 307 to 308) and U.S. 64. TENNESSEE Memphis Not a Business Loop Currently, there is no route number for Sam Cooper Blvd. ...and there probably never will be. According to Michael Adams, Sam Cooper Boulevard is a City of Memphis road, not a state highway. Originally, Sam Cooper Boulevard was to be Interstate 40 through the heart of Memphis. Only parts of the planned Interstate were built. There had been discussion back when the transfer of authority was made to sign it as Business Route I-40, Interstate 140, or U.S. 64-70-79, but to no avail. NORTH CAROLINA Winston-Salem Active This Business Loop Freeway was commissioned on October 2, 1992, by AASHTO. It is partially cosigned with U.S. 158, U.S. 421, and North Carolina 150; mainline Interstate 40 is now routed to the south. This section of Interstate 40 was removed from the Interstate Highway System due to its substandard construction. According to some reports, this business loop freeway may be reintroduced to the Interstate Highway System once its substandard segments are upgraded, possibly as a part of the I-73/74 Corridor. Greensboro Decom. Business Loop I-40 in Greensboro was a brief designation for the original Interstate 40 freeway through Greensboro. The business loop, which was designated in February 2008, was eliminated in September 2008 due to motorist confusion. Former Business Loop I-40 included a brief overlap with Business Loop I-85 (former Interstate 85 freeway) near downtown Greensboro. During the short time period when the business route was in use, both Interstate 40 and Interstate 85 were rerouted onto the Greensboro Bypass, which bypasses downtown to the south. This section of Interstate 40-85 was removed from the Interstate Highway System due to its substandard construction, including the infamous "Death Valley" segment. The Death Valley segment has been reconstructed and now meets Interstate standards again. The west end of the former business loop freeway almost connected with the Winston-Salem Business Loop I-40 freeway. The first part of the Greensboro Bypass, which carries Interstate 85 around the southeastern quadrant of the city, opened in January 2004. The Interstate 40 section of the bypass opened on February 21, 2008; the business route was signed on the old freeway alignment at the same time until its elimination in September 2008. Raleigh Decom. The northern half of Interstate 440, the Raleigh beltway, was known as Business Loop I-40 until 1991. That year, AASHTO decommissioned Business Loop I-40 in favor of Interstate 440. It's not clear to me what drove NCDOT to designate a beltway as a business loop - perhaps the only part of that name that was fitting was "loop." The beltway mostly avoided the downtown area, which is where most business loops go.

Page Updated October 8, 2008.